Promise to be Waiting
by Clearly through the Shadows
Summary: “From now on, whenever any of us go on a mission, the rest of us have to wait for the other to return. Promise?” Everyone had agreed. But will Shikamaru keep his promise to Ino? And will they become more than friends?
1. Shikamaru

**Promise to be Waiting**

Nara Shikamaru yawned lazily as he lay on his back, staring up at the sky in front of the gates of Konoha. It was _so_ boring. This wasn't his usual cloud watching spot, but it was his turn to patrol the gates.

Normally, one of his friends would be here, taunting him or chatting with him. However, it seemed all of Rookie Nine but he was not in Konoha. Chouji was on a mission with his father. Neji, TenTen, and Rock Lee were also on a mission in the Rock country with their sensei, Gai. Naruto and Sakura were on a mission with Kakashi, probably still chasing after Sasuke. Shino, Kiba and Hinata were in Suna, doing something for the Kazekage. And Ino….

Ino. His heart beat slightly faster, and his cheeks felt warm. He growled. _So troublesome_. Ino had left on a solo mission a year ago, so he hadn't seen her in a long time. Whenever he thought of her, he felt strange, different from how he had felt before. He may have been a genius, but his own feelings were hard to sort out…his friends kept teasing him, saying _he_ liked _her._ That was impossible wasn't it? Ino was his friend.

When they were 13, a year after those horrible chuunin exams, Ino, being the bossy girl she was, had announced to Shikamaru, Chouji and Asuma "From now on, whenever any of us go on a mission, the rest of us have to wait for the other to return. Promise?" And they had promised, though reluctantly. He remembered Asuma's affirmative growl, then Chouji's nod as he munched his way through another bag of chips. And his own voice, muttering "Tch. Sure. Whatever. Mendokuse. How troublesome. Women…" However, it had become a common sight for all of the village guard to see any member of their team waiting by the gate. He sighed, remembering that promise to be waiting.

Suddenly, he heard a movement. He jumped up, his hands flying to his shuriken pouches. "Who's there?" he yelled. He took a few steps forward. Someone quietly jumped down behind him.

He whirled, hands already well on their way to forming his _Kage Mane_ jutsu. It was a girl, about his own age. Her long blond hair was tossed up into a messy ponytail. Her bangs were in her face, keeping it in the shadows so he couldn't see her features. She was about a head shorter than him, and slim. The dark skirt and shirt were practical, and matted with leaves and dirt. He couldn't help but notice that her clothes hugged her curvy frame. She was in a battle position, hands gripping a long staff in front of her. She wore a hitai-ate on her arm, but he couldn't see the symbol. There was something familiar about her, though he couldn't quite place it.

She twirled her staff and lightly brought it down on his arm. He caught the staff and twisted it. She jumped with it, somersaulting over his head, yanking it out of his grasp and producing blades on both ends. He produced two kunai and they began to spar, until Shikamaru noticed the symbol on her hitai-ate, the one of Konoha. He twisted out of the way of her staff, and then complained "Why, didn't you tell me you were from Konoha? How troublesome…." He crossed his arms over his chest.

"How would I know _you_ were from Konoha, if I can't even _see_ your hitai-ate?" The girl demanded rudely. "Honestly, I- Shika-kun?" The girl stared at him, pushing the hair out of her eyes.

"How do you- Ino!" Shikamaru looked at her in shock. She had changed a lot from the whining kunoichi he had been placed on the same team with.

She smiled ruefully at him. "I didn't even recognize you," she said as she plopped herself down on the grass as he sat down. "You look different and everything," she flopped back and put her hands behind her head as she stared at the clouds.

"I didn't recognize you either," Shikamaru admitted, though his cheeks were burning. "You've changed from the brat that was placed on my team years ago," he teased. He watched her, noting the emotion running through her eyes.

She yelped "Shika-kun!" He couldn't help but notice that her cheeks were red too, though he told himself it was from their spar. "Does that mean I'm not a brat anymore?" He didn't answer her, and stood up instead. "Shikamaru!"

He held out a hand to her, offering it so she could stand up. He smiled crookedly at her, trying to ignore the strange feeling in his stomach. She took it and he tugged, pulling her up and close to him. In that moment, their faces were close together, just centimeters apart.

Shikamaru looked down at Ino for a few more seconds, both of them absolutely still. Then, he bent down and kissed her on the lips for just a moment, making it tender and sweet. Then, just as quickly, he drew back and shoved his hands in his pockets, thinking, Oh man, she must hate me now. Instead of feeling the slap he had anticipated, he felt Ino plant a small kiss on his cheek.

"Thanks for waiting for me Shika-kun."

Something settled in his chest. He had kept his promise to be waiting.


	2. Ino

**Promise to be Waiting**

Yamanaka Ino crept stealthily through the trees. She felt a slight pang in her heart. Normally, she would have Chouji, Asuma or….Shikamaru at her side.

Shikamaru.

Strange how that name made her cheeks heat up, her chest feel tight and her heart flutter. Only a few days ago, in another village had she heard girls squealing about his abilities as his ninja and how handsome he was. What she couldn't figure out was why she felt annoyed at that. Shikamaru was just a friend right? Right?

Suddenly, a scene flashed into her mind. It had been a year after the chuunin exams, when they were 13. After everyone had gathered at the training ground, she had stood up, hands on her hips and ready to speak her mind. "From now on, whenever any of us go on a mission, the rest of us have to wait for the other to return. Promise?" Needless to say, they had promised, though grudgingly. Asuma had given a growl of agreement, Chouji nodding as he ate his potato chips. And Shika-kun muttering "Tch. Sure. Whatever. Mendokuse. How troublesome. Women…" She herself had waited numerous times for the boys to return from a mission. However, this time, she wondered if anyone would be waiting for her.

She was approaching Konoha, but one could never be too careful. She inched forward, careful to keep silent. Suddenly, some leaves rustled, alerting her presence to a nin by the gate. Crap. She could hear the nin yell "Who's there?" The voice sounded masculine, and oddly comforting. She jumped out of the trees, twirling her staff, her current weapon of choice and a weapon with a lot of nasty tricks hidden in it. A boy her own age whirled, his hands flying into a seal she couldn't see.

He had dark hair gathered into a messy ponytail. His face was angular and handsome from what she could see, but most of his features were in the shadow. He was about a head taller than her, and had a muscular build. He wore a Chuunin vest and had a hitai-ate pinned on his sleeve, though she couldn't see the symbol on it. Though his clothes were relatively clean, she could see leaves and grass on them. He seemed strangely familiar, as though they had met before.

She twirled her staff and lightly brought it down on his arm. He caught the staff and twisted it. She jumped with it, somersaulting over his head, yanking it out of his grasp and producing blades on both ends. He produced two kunai and they began to spar, until the boy saw something and stopped. He twisted out of the way of her staff, and then complained "Why, didn't you tell me you were from Konoha? How troublesome…." He crossed his arms over his chest.

Her breath caught in her throat. Just like Shika-kun….Shika-kun, when was the last time she had called Shikamaru that? But that still didn't mean he was Shikamaru. Besides, she was hot, cranky and in desperate need of a shower. This added up to Ino not being in one of her greatest moods. "How would I know _you_ were from Konoha, if I can't even _see_ your hitai-ate?" Ino demanded crossly "Honestly, I- Shika-kun?" As he stepped out of the shadows, she caught sight of his handsome face. She pushed the hair out of her face, impatiently to give him a better look. Shika-kun….

"How do you- Ino!" Shikamaru stared at her, the look on his face nothing short of shock and disbelief.

Ino smiled dryly at him, hiding her fluttering heart behind a cool demeanor. "I didn't even recognize you," she said as she plopped herself down on the grass as he sat down. "You look different and everything," she flopped back and put her hands behind her head as she stared at the clouds, her heart beating wildly and her cheeks growing warm when she realized how close they were.

"I didn't recognize you either," Shikamaru admitted. "You've changed from the brat that was placed on my team years ago," he smirked, his eyes taunting her silently. But this time was different from all the other times he had teased her…this time, she could see a deep, dark, swirling excitement and….desire? No, that was impossible.

She yelped "Shika-kun!" Oh my god, had Shika-kun been blushing? No, it must have been her imagination. "Does that mean I'm not a brat anymore?" When she heard no answer, she said "Shikamaru!"

She noticed a shadow over her. When she looked up, she saw him standing over her. He smiled slightly and held out a hand to help her up. She took it and he tugged, pulling her up and close to him. In that moment, their faces were close together, just centimeters apart. Ino could hardly breathe in that second.

Then he kissed her.

It was a short, sweet and tender. But it was a kiss all the same. When he kissed her, she felt all her emotions towards him swirling into a big pool. What were they now? Friends? Just friends? Or…more than friends..?

He instantly drew back, shoving his hands in his pockets and looking quite embarrassed. Thoughts ran through Ino's mind, and for a moment, she was not quite sure whether to slap him or kiss him back. Kiss him, she decided, but just on the cheek.

So she stood on tiptoe and kissed him on the cheek. He looked up with a surprised expression, but she only smiled quietly at him.

"Thanks for waiting for me Shika-kun."

She smiled to herself. He had kept his promise to be waiting.


End file.
